Automatic window-closing device.



PATENTED' DBG. 24;, .1907.

J. F. RUTH. I AUTOMATIC WINDOWCLOSING DEVICE.

APLICATION FILED APR. 1, 1907.

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JOHN F. RUTH, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

AUTOMATIC WINDOW-GLOSIN G 4DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 24, 1907'.

Application led April l. 1907. Serial No. 365,766.

To all whom it may concern: A

Be it known that I, JOHN F. RUTH, a citizen of the United States, andresident of St. Louis, Missouri, have invented certain 5 new and usefulImprovements in Automatic W'indow-Olosing Devices, of which thefollowing is a specification containing a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart hereof.

"` My invention relates to an automatic window closing device, and theparticular obj ect of my invention is to provide simple, inexpensivedevices whereby the upper sash of a window, or a vertically moving fireshutter, is automatically closed when certain of the devices arereleased by the excessive heat of' alnladjacent fire, which destroys afusible To the above purposesfmy invention consists of certain novelfeatures of construction and arrangement of parts, which will behereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in the claims, andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is avertical section taken through the upper right hand corner of a windowframe, and showing my improved device in position on said frame Fig. 2is a horizontal section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and showing theautomatically operating clutch in plan view; Fig. 3 is an elevation ofthe clutch, after the same has been released and clamped upon thefiexible connection between the window sash and weight.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings 1 designates thewindow frame, 2 the sash, 3 the usual pulley attached to the frame, 4the flexible connection, which is usually in the form of a steel tape orchain, and which is secured at one end to the window sash, and, passingover the pulley 3, is provided on its lower end with a weight 5, whichcounterbalances the weight of the sash.

The form of clutch I prefer to make use of comprises a pair ofhorizontally disposed plates 6, spaced a suitable distance apart by ablock 7, having a corrugated face 8; and

. the lower corners of the plates 6, to the left of this block 7, arespread apart to form bearings 9, which engage against the inner face ofthe window frame 1 when the clutch is in proper position thereon.

Rigidly fixed to the upper left hand corners of the plates 6 is ahorizontally disposed finger 10, which, when the clutch is in positionfor use, projects through the opening 11 formed in the frame 1 andconnected to the outer end of said finger 10, by readily fusiblematerial, is a vertically disposed finger 12, forming a hook by means ofwhich the clutch is held in proper position against the window frame.

J ournaled upon a pin 13, which has its ends seated in the plates 6, isa segmental block 14, having a corrugated face 15; and passing through ablock 16 fixed to the plates 6, immediately above the block 14, is anadjusting screw 17, by means of which the position of the block 14 ischanged.

A pin 18 is transversely arranged between the right hand ends of theplates 6, Aand depending therefrom is a chain 19, to the lower end ofwhich is attached an auxiliary weight 20.

When the clutch of my improved device is in position for use, the Enger12 passes through the aperture 11 so as to act as a hook to maintain theclutch in a horizontal position immediately beneath the pulley 3; andthe tape or chain 4 passes between the plates 6, and between the block 7and eccentric 14.

By means of the set screw 17, the segment 14 is adjusted to bring itscorrugated face 15 adjacent the tape or chain 4, and the weight 20pulling downwardly on the right hand end of the clutch, normallymaintains the same in a fixed horizontal position.

The sash or fire shutter to which the flexible connection 4 is attachedcan be raised and lowered in the usual manner, without interference, andwithout disarranging the clutch or any of the parts carried thereby.

Assuming that the window or shutter is open, and that the heat from anadjacent fire fuses or melts the connection between the fingers 10 and12,A the pull of the weight 20 will swing the clutch into an inclinedposition, with the outwardly bent corners 9 of the plates bearing on thewindow frame; and, as said clutch swings into this position, thecorrugated face 15 of the segment 14 is brought against the flexibleconnection 4; and, as the clutch starts to move downwardly by reason ofthe weight 20, the segment 14 will automatically swing upward so as tovery rigidly clamp the flexible connection against the corrugated face 8of the block 7, and thus the weight of the clutch and of the auxiliaryweight 20 will be transferred to the flexible connection 4 to co-actwith the weight 5 thus greatly overbalancing the weight of the sash 2and quickly closing the same.

It will be readily understood how the clutch of my improved device maybe changed in detail without departing from the spirit of the invention,it only being essential that the auxiliary weight be provided, which isautomatically clamped to the flexible connection 4 when the fusiblejoint or connection is broken.

I claim 1. The combination with a window frame and sash arranged toslide therein, of a counterbalancing weight, a flexible connectionbetween the upper sash and the weight, an auxiliary weight, a clutchsupporting said auxiliary weight, a pair of clamping jaws arranged inthe clutch for engaging the flexible connection when the clutch isreleased, and a fusible connection on the clutch for holding the sameand the auxiliary weight in normal positions.

2. The combination with a window frame and sash arranged to slidetherein, of a counterbalancing weight, a flexible 'connection betweenthe upper sash and said weight, an auxiliary weight, a clutch throughwhich the flexible connection passes and which clutch supports theauxiliary weight, a jaw fixed in the clutch on one side of the flexibleconnee* tion, a pivoted jaw in the clutch on the opposite side of theflexible connection, and a fusible connection arranged on the clutch forholding the same and the auxiliary weight in normal positions.

3. The combination with a window frame and sash arranged to slidetherein, of a counterbalancing weight, a flexible connection betweenvtheupper sash and said weight, an c uxiliary weight, a clutch through whichthe flexible connection passes and which cluteh supports the auxiliaryweight, avjaw 'fixed in the clutch on one side of' the flexibleconnection, a pivoted jaw in the clutch on the opposite side of thefiexible connection, means whereby the engaging face of the pivoted jawis adjusted to and from the engaging face of the fixed jaw, and. afusible connection arranged on the clutch for holding the saine and theauxiliary weight in normal positions.

In testimony whereof, I have signed iny name to this specification, inpresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN F. RUTH. Vitnesses M. P. SMITH, E. L. WALLACE.

